Online formatives guide

Contents

Guide overview

Essential guidance and instructions
How online formative tests are displayed to students and how to interpret the available information
Viewing your test score, cohort statistics, correct answers and commentary
Accessing the unmarked test document once online attempt submitted

Essential guidance and instructions

The online formatives are an essential part of the learning and development process for students at Hull York Medical School. They give students the opportunity to test their learning at the end of each Block/Rotation of our HYMS MB BS programme. They also allow students to gain experience in exam technique by answering questions in two of the formats used in summative assessment: extended matching questions [EMQs] and multiple choice questions [MCQs].

All students MUST attempt all formative tests.

We strongly recommend that students complete the test as soon as possible. This is important; it means that students are reviewing the subject content while it is fresh in their minds, identifying strengths, areas of weakness and further learning needs, before they are too focused on the next block of new learning.

Each formative test will be available for a period of two weeks and will go live one week before the end of the block.

Announcements will be posted on Blackboard, prior to each test, reminding students when they go live / close.

During the two-week test periods all queries relating to the tests (such as being locked out of a test mid-way through) should be sent to exams@hyms.ac.uk.

The Assessment & Progression team can only deal with queries while the tests are live, and only up to 12.00pm (noon) on the final day of the two-week period.

The tests cannot be reopened once the deadline has passed. It is each student’s responsibility to ensure that they complete the formative test within the timeframe.

If you believe there to be any errors with questions, please contact exams@hyms.ac.uk. This allows us to improve the quality of the tests over time.

Once you have completed the test, you should print a copy of your test paper/responses and discuss any uncertainties with your PBL tutor.

To print or save your view of results; when viewing results, choose control + p to print your browser view. You can also choose to save as pdf.

We recommend printing from a Chrome browser for best results. In Chrome, click near some displayed results.This should mean that only the area around where results are displayed is selected for printing. Then right-click on your mouse and choose to print.

Once submitted, students will have access to the full exam with their answers, the correct answers and any question commentary by clicking on their score for the test within My Grades (see below guidance).

Students’ completion of formatives will be recorded through Blackboard. Students that do not complete formatives will be referred to the Phase Lead, for onward referral to the Case Management Group if deemed necessary.

All the formative assessments will be made available for revision purposes prior to the summative assessments.

How online formative tests are displayed to students and how to interpret the available information

In response to your feedback and suggestions we have made some amendments to the way in which online formative tests are displayed to students, together with a brief guide on interpreting the available information. Please see the below guidance.

When you access the end of block formative for the first time, you will be expected to complete the assessment in a single sitting. This is to try and replicate the ‘pressure’ of a summative assessment, where you are limited in the amount of time available and you would not be able to ‘look up’ any answers. Upon completing the formative your results will be displayed in the Blackboard Grade Centre (see below guidance).

Once a test has been submitted, your score will be visible in the My Grades area of your Blackboard account, as previous guidance states. However, we have increased the amount of statistical data visible for each test. Below there is a screenshot of the My Grades display and an explanation of these data (please note that grade boundaries cannot be reliably estimated for the online tests).

For each test you complete you will be able to access your answers, together with the correct answers and an explanation of the correct answers. In addition, an unmarked copy of the paper will now appear in the Assessment and Portfolio folder in Blackboard, beneath the access point to the formative test.

This unmarked copy will remain available to you throughout the course, but will only become available when you attempt the formative assessment. If you do not attempt the formative, by the stated deadline, then neither the marked nor the unmarked version will become available to you at any point in the future.

Viewing your test score, cohort statistics, correct answers and commentary

In MyGrades select the course (Year Group) you wish to view e.g., HYMS MB BS Year 1*Click on the image below to enlarge it.
Find the test title of the online formative test you have attempted and submitted.
To the right you will now see your score in bold, the total marks available underneath, the average and median score achieved by the whole cohort. *Click on the image below to enlarge it.
To view your test attempt with correct answers and commentary, click on the test title highlighted in point 2). and on the next screen click on the ‘calculated grade’.

Accessing the unmarked test document once online attempt submitted

Click on the Assessment and Portfolio folder
Click on the Formative Assessments folder
Click on the Online End of Block Formative Questions folder. Once you have submitted to the relevant online test, a corresponding document will become visible in the Online End of Block Formative Questions folder. This document will remain visible for the duration of the academic year.*Click on the image below to enlarge it.